Delivering content

ABSTRACT

A content delivery system comprising: a communications network; a media component connected to the communications network, the media component configured to deliver content for consumption at user devices connected to the communications network; an engagement monitoring component configured to monitor user engagement with auxiliary content played out at the user devices; a storage component which holds engagement monitoring data in association with user identifiers of users of the content delivery system; a content control module configured to receive from a user device a request for content data, the content control module being operable to selectively deliver enhanced content data based on the engagement monitoring data held in association with a user identifier associated with a user of the user device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to delivering content to a user.

BACKGROUND

Computer devices exist which are considered to display content to a useron demand. For example, subscription services allow a user to selectparticular television channels which are made available to a user deviceon which a user can view the channels. Viewing of the channels can besubject to payment. When subject to payment, access to the content iscontrolled by determining whether or not the user has made a payment forthe content and as such is permitted to view it. In a subscriptionservice content can be live/linear. Other on-demand content isavailable, such as, On-Demand TV which allows individual programmes tobe begun at the viewer's leisure.

Other types of content are also available on demand, for example,downloaded or streamed to a user following suitable payment, as with OnDemand TV or pay per view (PPV).

When using their devices nowadays, users are subject to potentially avery large amount of what is referred to as herein “auxiliary content”.This is used to reference content which is not actually requested by auser but which is nevertheless directed to a user and played out at auser device (whether or not the user wants it). User devices includemedia players, such as digital video players, which are designed to playout at a screen or other output element of a user device auxiliarycontent which is received at that device in addition to content selectedby a user.

Although users have not requested auxiliary content, they are generallytolerant of receiving and playing out a certain amount of auxiliarycontent, particularly where the receipt and play-out of that auxiliarycontent means that the user does not have to pay for the content thatthey did desire to receive. Auxiliary content can be provided in manydifferent forms, including video content, static image, text basedcontent, audio content. Although the present document is focused mainlyon the play-out of full media (video and audio) content, it will beappreciated that other forms of content are also available.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided acontent delivery system comprising: a communications network; a mediacomponent connected to the communications network, the media componentconfigured to deliver content for consumption at user devices connectedto the communications network; an engagement monitoring componentconfigured to monitor user engagement with auxiliary content played outat the user devices; a storage component which holds engagementmonitoring data in association with user identifiers of users of thecontent delivery system; a content control module configured to receivefrom a user device a request for content data, the content controlmodule being operable to selectively deliver enhanced content data basedon the engagement monitoring data held in association with a useridentifier associated with a user of the user device.

The content control module may be further configured to evaluate theengagement monitoring data to determine, for each piece of auxiliarycontent played out at the user device, if said user has engaged with atleast one user engagement element that is associated with the auxiliarycontent and displayed on the user device, in accordance with an expecteduser activity, and selectively deliver the enhanced content data basedon said evaluation.

The at least one user engagement element may comprise a displayedquestion to which the user may respond and has an input for receiving aresponse, wherein the expected user activity comprises providing anappropriate response to the question.

The at least one user engagement element may comprise a survey whichincludes at least one question with associated expected responses,wherein the questions and responses concern the auxiliary content.

The at least one user engagement element may comprise a user interfacecomponent selectable by the user.

The user interface component may be a display region on a display of theuser device, the display region comprising an auxiliary content item andbeing clickable by the user.

The at least one user engagement element may display multiple displayregions, each displaying an image, wherein one of the images is linkedto the played out auxiliary content, and the expected user activity isto select that image.

The image which is linked to the played out auxiliary content may be animage which was viewed by the user when consuming the auxiliary content.

The content delivery system may further comprise a store holding a setof permission vouchers for each of a plurality of users of the system,wherein the content control module may be configured to determine ifthere is a permission voucher in the set for the user of a type thatgrants permission to deliver the enhanced content data to the userdevice, and selectively deliver said enhanced content data based on thisdetermination.

The content delivery system may further comprise a points accumulatorcomponent connected to the communication network which holds a userpoint balance in association with said user identifier, wherein issuanceof said permission voucher to said store is based on redemption, by theuser, of points of a user point balance associated with the useridentifier of the user.

The user point balance associated with the user identifier of the usermay be based on engagement monitoring data held in association with theuser identifier.

The content data may be a list of interaction options for interactingwith a piece of content received from the media component for play outon the user device, and the enhanced content data may be an enhancedlist of interaction options for interacting with said piece of content.

The enhanced list of interaction options comprises interaction optionsdifferent to those provided in a standard list of interaction optionsthat the content control module is otherwise configured to supply tosaid user device.

The content data may be metadata associated with a piece of mediacontent stored by the media component, the metadata enabling the useraccess to consume the piece of media content when processed by the userdevice, and the enhanced content data may be metadata enabling the useraccess to consume an enhanced version of the piece of media contentstored by the media component when processed by the user device.

The enhanced version of the piece of media content may be one of: (i) anextended version of the piece of media content; (ii) a director's cutversion of the piece of content; (iii) a version comprising additionalcontent not present in the piece of media content, and (iv) aninteractive version of the piece of media content.

The content data may be electronic programming guide data, theelectronic programming guide data enabling the user access to consumemedia content stored by the media component when processed by the userdevice, and the enhanced content data may be electronic programmingguide data enabling the user access to consume locked media contentstored by the media component when processed by the user device that isotherwise inaccessible to the user.

The locked media content may be on-demand media content. The on-demandmedia content may be in high-definition.

The locked media content may be content aired on at least one televisionchannel. The content aired on said at least one television channel maybe in high-definition.

The locked media content may be media content associated with anextended playback availability.

The locked media content may be media content that is available fordownload for consumption on a user device associated the user withoutrequiring a connection to said communications network.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure there is provideda method of delivering content comprising: receiving from a user devicea request for content data, accessing at least one of (i) engagementmonitoring data held in association with a user identifier associatedwith a user of the user device stored at a storage component, and (ii) aset of permission vouchers for the user held in a store; and selectivelydelivering enhanced content data based on at least one of: theengagement monitoring data held in association with the user identifierassociated with the user of the user device, and the set of permissionvouchers for the user.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure there is provideda computer program product, the computer program product being embodiedon a non-transient computer-readable medium and configured so as whenexecuted on a processor to: receive from a user device a request forcontent data, access at least one of (i) engagement monitoring data heldin association with a user identifier associated with a user of the userdevice stored at a storage component, and (ii) a set of permissionvouchers for the user held in a store; and selectively deliver enhancedcontent data based on at least one of: the engagement monitoring dataheld in association with the user identifier associated with the user ofthe user device, and the set of permission vouchers for the user.

In the above described aspects of the present disclosure, the enhancedcontent data may be selectively delivered to the user device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present disclosure and to show how thesame may be put into effect, reference will now be made, by way ofexample, to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a content delivery system;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a media playback device;

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrates network components in the content deliverysystem;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart for a process of associating rewardpoints with an account associated with a content consuming user;

FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrates a flow chart for a process of detecting userengagement of auxiliary content;

FIG. 6 illustrates transmission of user engagement data to the mediaplayback device and a companion device associated with the contentconsuming user;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for a process that enables that thecontent consuming user to consume desired media content within thelimits of a constrained resource.

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow chart for a process that enables that thecontent consuming user to consume desired media content within thelimits of a constrained resource; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a flow chart for a process that enables that thecontent consuming user to consume desired media content within thelimits of a constrained resource;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is first made to FIG. 1 to show the infrastructure withinwhich embodiments of the invention are implemented.

FIG. 1 shows a content delivery system 100. A content consuming user 102(current content consumer) operates a media playback device 104 with adisplay 105 that is capable of connecting to a computer network 106 ofthe content delivery system 100. The media playback device 104 is acomputer device in the form of, for example, a television, smartphonedevice, tablet computing device, etc. The computer network 106 is apacket-based network such as the Internet in this embodiment but may notbe packet-based in other embodiments.

The content consuming user 102 may also have a companion user device 114with a display. This companion user device 114 can take the form of anykind of computer device including but not limited to tablets, mobilephones, smartphones, laptops, etc.

Both the media playback device 104 and the companion user device 114have a network connection for connecting to the computer network 106.The network connection can be wired such as Ethernet or wireless (WiFi,GSM etc), or any suitable interface which allows communication with thenetwork 106. The media playback device 104 and the companion user device114 may connect to the computer network 106 using the same type ofnetwork connection or different types of network connections.

Connected to the network 106 is a primary content providing server 108of the content delivery system 100 which holds primary (desired) contentfor delivering to users of the content delivery system 100. The mediacontent is stored in the form of a collection of media assets (that is,individual pieces of media content), each media asset being, forexample, an episode of a television show, a movie, or a recording of asports event (e.g. football match) etc.

Also connected to the network 106 is an auxiliary content providingserver 110 of the content delivery system 100 which holds an auxiliarycontent database identifying different pieces of auxiliary content (e.g.video content, static image content, text-based content, audio contentetc.) that can be delivered to users of the content delivery system 100.For example, in some embodiments the database is a database of networklocations (e.g. web addresses in the form of a Uniform Resource Locators(URLs)) at which the auxiliary content is available. One particular typeof auxiliary content is advertising content. In particular embodiments,the server 110 is an ad (“advertisement”) server holding a database ofadvertising content.

Also connected to the network 106 is one or more auxiliary content store112 that stores the auxiliary content described above. Each of the oneor more auxiliary content stores may be addressable for example using aURL referred to above.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the media playback device 104.The companion user device 114 comprises the same components of the mediaplayback device 104 that are shown in FIG. 2.

The media playback device 104 comprises a user interface 202 forreceiving user inputs from the content consuming user 102. The userinterface 202 may take various forms, for example an infra-red (IR)receiver for receiving control signals from an IR remote control unitoperated by the content consuming user 102, a touch-screen of the mediaplayback device 104, or another input device such as a keypad, mouse, ormicrophone (for receiving voice commands).

The media playback device 104 is arranged to display media content thatis available for selection by the content consuming user 102 on thedisplay 105 of the media playback device 104. A content consuming user102 is able to select desired media content that they wish to consume bysupplying an input that is received by the user interface 202.

The media playback device 104 comprises a playout controller 204 that iscoupled to the user interface 202 which enables the playout controller204 configured to detect that a selection of desired media content hasbeen made by the content consuming user 102.

The media playback device 104 further comprises a network interface 206for connecting to the computer network 106. The network interface 206can be wired interface such as an Ethernet interface, a wirelessinterface (WiFi, GSM etc), or any other suitable interface which allowscommunication with the network 106.

In response to detecting a selection of desired media content by thecontent consuming user 102, the playout controller 204 is configured totransmit a request for the desired media content over the network 106 tothe primary content server 108, and in response, receive the desiredmedia content from the primary content server 108.

The playout controller 204 is configured to supply the desired mediacontent to a playback module 208 of the media playback device 104 forplayout to the content consuming user 102. For example, if the desiredmedia content is video content (e.g. a TV episode), the playback module208 handles the output of the desired media content to the display 105.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the delivery of desiredmedia content that is associated with auxiliary content that is to beplayed out to the content consuming user 102 (by the playback module 208of the media playback device 104, or by the companion user device 114).

In addition to receiving the desired media content from the primarycontent server 108, the playout controller 204 also receives metadataassociated with the desired media content. As is well known to personsskilled in the art, this metadata may include information such the titleof the desired media content, asset id (e.g. content identifier) of thedesired media content, the playback length if the desired media contentetc.

In response to receipt of the desired media content and its associatedmetadata, the playout controller 204 is configured to transmit a requestfor an auxiliary content insertion information (e.g an ad manifest) thatis associated with the desired media content to the auxiliary contentserver 110. The request includes an identifier of the content consuminguser 102 (e.g. an account number of a media consumption account of thecontent consuming user 102) and an identifier of the desired mediacontent.

In response to transmitting this request to the auxiliary content server110, the playout controller 204 receives auxiliary content insertioninformation from the auxiliary content server 110. The auxiliary contentinsertion information indicates if auxiliary content is to be played outprior to, during and/or after playout of the desired media content. Ifso, the auxiliary content insertion information comprises metadataidentifying the auxiliary content.

The auxiliary content insertion information includes, for each piece ofauxiliary content that is to be played in a particular break, anidentifier (e.g. a URL) of an auxiliary content store 112 in the network106 where the auxiliary content is stored and other metadata associatedwith the piece of auxiliary content.

During playback of the desired media content the playout controller 204is configured to detect when a break for auxiliary content isapproaching and in response to this detection, retrieve the auxiliarycontent to be played out in the break from the one or more auxiliarycontent store 112 using the using the identifier(s) referred to above,and control the playout of the retrieved auxiliary content by theplayback module 208 during the breaks identified by the auxiliarycontent break pattern.

The metadata for each piece of auxiliary content referred to above mayinclude information on how the auxiliary content is to be played and oneor more tracking events that are to be reported to the auxiliary contentserver 110 when the event is detected by the playout controller 204 asthe auxiliary content is played. The tracking event reports allow theauxiliary content server 110 to measure which pieces of auxiliarycontent were started, which failed because the ad creative wasunavailable; which piece(s) of auxiliary content were watched all theway through; which piece(s) of auxiliary content only reached thehalf-way point before the viewer quit playback etc.

The playout controller 204 may interact with the auxiliary contentserver 110 in accordance with the Video Ad Serving Template (VAST)specification released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). Thatis, the request for auxiliary content insertion information transmittedto the auxiliary content server 110 may be a VAST request, and theauxiliary content insertion information received from the auxiliarycontent server 110 may be a VAST response document (an XML document).

The inventors have identified that the content consuming user 102 may beconsuming the desired content within limits of a constrained resource.

For example the content consuming user 102 may have limited timeavailable to consume the desired media content. If the media playbackdevice 104 is a mobile device, this may be due to the media playbackdevice 104 having a limited amount of power (battery life) remaining atthe time the content consuming user 102 selected to consume the desiredmedia content. Alternatively or additionally, the user 102 may beconsuming the desired content within bandwidth constraints of thenetwork connection between the media playback device 104 and the network106.

Embodiments of the present invention enable a device to deliver desiredcontent to a user so that the content consuming user 102 can consume thedesired media content within the limits of the constrained resource evenwhen that content is associated with auxiliary content that should beplayed out.

This result may achieved by allowing auxiliary content data to becontrolled based on monitoring user engagement data which allowsaccruement of reward points by the content consuming user 102 based onthe content consuming user 102 consuming (e.g. watching, listening)auxiliary content or engaging with auxiliary content which allowsadaption of auxiliary content for that content consuming user 102.Whilst embodiments are described herein with reference to rewards(otherwise referred to herein as permission vouchers) that areobtainable by redemption of reward points that are accrued through userconsumption or engagement with auxiliary content, this is just oneexample of how a content consuming user 102 may obtain a reward andembodiments are not limited to this example. Embodiments extend torewards that have been obtained via other methods known to personsskilled in the art e.g. payment, due to the media consumption account ofthe content consuming user 102 being active for a predetermined periodof time, a promotion by a video on demand provider etc. Components inthe network 106 which enable the content consuming user 102 to consumedesired media content within the limits of a constrained resource arenow described with reference to FIGS. 3a and 3 b.

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrates components of the content delivery system100 described above with reference to FIG. 1 (i.e. the media playbackdevice 104, companion user device 114, primary content server 108 andauxiliary content providing server 110).

In addition FIG. 3a illustrates a rewards service component 302 and auser profile service component 304. The rewards service component 302may be implemented on a dedicated server connected to the network 106,alternatively the functionality of the rewards service 302 may beimplemented on the auxiliary content providing server 110. Similarly,the user profile service component 304 may be implemented on a dedicatedserver connected to the network 106, alternatively the functionality ofthe user profile service 304 may be implemented on the auxiliary contentproviding server 110. Implementation of the rewards service component302 and a user profile service component 304 on a network entity such asa server provides security against malicious users attempting to editthe information stored by these components.

FIG. 3b illustrates a reward points accumulator component 306. Thereward points accumulator component 306 may be implemented on adedicated server connected to the network 106, the server describedabove implementing the rewards service 302 functionality, the serverdescribed above implementing the user profile service component 304, oron the auxiliary content providing server 110.

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate the data that is transmitted between thecomponents of the content delivery system 100. For example, FIG. 3aillustrates that the media playback device 104 is configured to transmita request for desired media content over the network 106 to the primarycontent server 108, and in response, receive the desired media contentfrom the primary content server 108 (described above). Furthermore,FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrates that the media playback device 104 isconfigured to transmit a request for auxiliary content insertioninformation to the auxiliary content server 110 over the network 106,and in response, receive auxiliary content insertion information fromthe auxiliary content server 110.

Other data that is transmitted between the components of the contentdelivery system 100 shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b is described below withreference to embodiments of the present invention.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which illustrates a process 400performed by the auxiliary content providing server 110 for associatingreward points with a media consumption account associated with thecontent consuming user 102. The user profile service 304 is configuredto maintain information on accumulated reward points and availablerewards (otherwise referred to herein as permission vouchers) for eachuser of the content delivery system 100.

At step S402, the auxiliary content providing server 110 detects thatthe content consuming user 102 has consumed or interacted with a pieceof auxiliary content played out on the media playback device 104.

The auxiliary content providing server 110 is able to detect that thecontent consuming user 102 has consumed auxiliary content based on oneor more tracking event reports received from the media playback device104. This is illustrated by the “ad views” data flow shown in FIG. 3aand the “watch events” data flow shown in FIG. 3 b.

The auxiliary content providing server 110 may detects that the contentconsuming user 102 has interacted with a piece of auxiliary contentusing one or more methods that are described below.

In a first method, after playback of auxiliary content on the mediaplayback device 104 (detected by the auxiliary content providing server110 based on a tracking event report received from the media playbackdevice 104), the auxiliary content providing server 110 transmits a userengagement request to the companion user device 114 which causes a userengagement element to be shown on the display 115 of the companion userdevice 114 in the form of a question displayed to the content consuminguser 102.

Alternatively, during playback of auxiliary content on the mediaplayback device 104 (detected by the auxiliary content providing server110 based on a tracking event report received from the media playbackdevice 104), the auxiliary content providing server 110 transmits theuser engagement request to the companion user device 114. This is sothat the playout controller on the companion user device 114 can preparethe user engagement element to be shown on the display 115 at the end ofplayout of the auxiliary content, or to facilitate display of the userengagement element on the display 115 that may appear during playout ofthe auxiliary content.

The content consuming user 102 can engage with the user engagementelement by supplying an input e.g. by responding to the question eitherby entering data into a field displayed to the content consuming user102, or responding using voice (detected by a microphone of thecompanion user device 114), or responding by making a gesture. When thecontent consuming user 102 responds using voice or gesture, the playoutcontroller on the companion user device 114 detects the voice/gestureand recognises the user response.

After this user engagement, a user engagement response is transmittedfrom the companion user device 114 to the auxiliary content providingserver 110. This is illustrated by the “Ad views” data flow shown inFIG. 3 a.

The auxiliary content providing server 110 detects whether or not thecontent consuming user 102 has responded properly by assessing whetheran expected user actuation has been executed. For example, where aresponse is to be entered in text, the quality of the text is assessedto ensure it is meaningful. Where a user selection is made (multiplechoice), only the set number of selections should be made. The playoutcontroller on the companion user device 114 may comprise sufficientlogic to validate an input (e.g. when only one option from a multiplechoice selection is permitted, to check that only one option from themultiple choice selection has been made), but only the auxiliary contentproviding server 110 would check if a validated answer is the correctone. Similarly, only the auxiliary content providing server 110allocates points.

The user engagement element can comprise a survey which includesmultiple questions with associated fields for responses, wherein thequestions and responses concern the auxiliary content. The userengagement element can take alternative forms to a survey requiring textresponses. It could be a kind of game, or multiple choice. Any kind ofuser engagement element permitting a monitorable user response isenvisaged.

In the above embodiment, the companion user device 114 operates toselect the desired content and operates to display the auxiliary content(for example, the advertisement) and the user engagement elements (suchas the survey). However, the principles described herein can also beapplied to a scenario where there is a single device which both playsthe desired content, the auxiliary content and the user engagementelement. That same device can be used to select the content. A furtheralternative is to have a companion device used to select the content,where the desired content, auxiliary content and user engagementelements are displayed on a separate device. In yet a furtheralternative, auxiliary content and user engagement elements aredisplayed on a plurality of devices if a group of viewers is present.This enables the auxiliary content, and therefore the user engagementelements to be tailored to each of the viewers in the group. Thisenables each of the viewers to receive auxiliary content and userengagement elements that is potentially customised for them explicitly.For example, a television advert for a clothes retailer displayed on themedia playback device 104 might have a secondary experience on a mobiledevice that shows men's clothes to male viewers and ladies' clothes tofemale viewers.

Where one device is used to display the desired content, the auxiliarycontent and the user engagement elements, two separate display portionsor a picture in picture technology can be utilised. Alternatively, theauxiliary content can be displayed first, followed by the userengagement element and then followed by the desired content on the samescreen.

In a second method, during playback of auxiliary content on the mediaplayback device 104 (detected by the auxiliary content providing server110 based on a tracking event report received from the media playbackdevice 104), the auxiliary content providing server 110 transmits a userengagement request to the media playback device 104 which causes a userengagement instruction to be output from the media playback device 104to the content consuming user 102. For example an audible userengagement instruction may be output from speakers of the media playbackdevice 104 or a visual user engagement instruction may be shown on thedisplay 114 of the media playback device 104. The user engagementinstruction encourages the content consuming user 102 to make aselection in an area of the display 114 where the auxiliary content isbeing displayed. For example, if the auxiliary content is a car advertthe user engagement instruction may ask the content consuming user 102to tap a colour or car model that they prefer, or ask them to sign-upfor a trial period by tapping a specific area of the display 104. Whilstauxiliary content is described in this example as advertising content,the auxiliary content is not limited to being advertising content, theauxiliary content may for example be a trailer for a movie or a TVprogramme.

The content consuming user 102 can engage with the auxiliary content bysupplying an input to the user interface 202 e.g. by responding to theuser engagement instruction by tapping a specific area of the display105. When the content consuming user 102 responds, the media playbackdevice 104 is configured to transmit a user engagement response to theauxiliary content providing server 110. This is illustrated by the“Interaction signal” data flow shown in FIG. 3 b.

The auxiliary content providing server 110 detects whether or not thecontent consuming user 102 has responded properly by assessing whetheran expected user actuation has been executed.

A third method of how the auxiliary content providing server 110 maydetect that the content consuming user 102 has interacted with a pieceof auxiliary content is described with reference to FIGS. 5a and 5 b.

At step S502, the content consuming user 102 selects to consume an itemof media content. As described above, in response to detecting thisselection, the playout controller 204 is configured to transmit arequest for the desired media content over the network 106 to theprimary content server 108, and in response, receive the desired mediacontent from the primary content server 108.

In response to the playout controller 204 determining that the desiredmedia content is associated with pre-roll auxiliary content then theplayout controller 204 is configured to transmit a request for pre-rollauxiliary content (an advert manifest) to the auxiliary content server110. At step S504, in response to receiving this request, the auxiliarycontent server 110 selects auxiliary content that should be played outby the media playback device 104 before the start of their chosen mediacontent (i.e. select “pre-roll” auxiliary content). The selectedauxiliary content may be associated with the media content's pre-rollbreak for auxiliary content. Alternatively, the selected auxiliarycontent may not be associated with the media content's pre-roll breakfor auxiliary content i.e. the selected auxiliary content is ad-hocauxiliary content.

After step S504, the auxiliary content server 110 is configured totransmit auxiliary content information to the media playback device 104.The auxiliary content information includes, for each piece of selectedauxiliary content, an identifier of a network storage location in thenetwork 106 where the selected auxiliary content is stored and othermetadata associated with the piece of auxiliary content. At least one ofthese pieces of selected auxiliary content is indicated as beingassociated with a user engagement feature, for example using a flag orother type of identifier.

In response to receiving the advertising content information from theauxiliary content server 110, the media playback device 104 isconfigured to retrieve the selected auxiliary content from the auxiliarycontent store(s) 112 using the identifier(s) in the received advertisingcontent information, and at step S506 control the playout of theretrieved auxiliary content by the playback module 208 prior to playoutof the selected media content.

Once playout of the auxiliary content at step S506 is complete theplayout controller 204 is configured to control the playback module 208to playout the desired media content (retrieved from the primary contentproviding server 108) at step S508.

Having played out the auxiliary content that is associated with the userengagement feature at step S506, playout controller 204 is configured tothe wait for a period of time at step S510 whilst the desired mediacontent is being played out, before proceeding to step S512. This periodof time may be a function of the length of the desired media contentand/or the placement of any first mid-roll in the desired media content.

The playout controller 204 is configured to detect at step S510, thatthe period of time has elapsed since playout of the desired mediacontent to the content consuming user 102 was started by the playbackmodule 208.

At step S512, the auxiliary content server 110 is configured to transmituser engagement data associated with a piece of selected auxiliarycontent to the companion user device 114 which causes user engagementoptions 604 to be shown on the display 115 of the companion user device114 (S512 a) and a user engagement element 602 to be shown on thedisplay 115 of the companion user device 114 in the form of a questiondisplayed to the content consuming user 102 (S512 b).

The display of the user engagement element 602 and the user engagementoptions 604 on the display 115 of the companion user device 114 is shownin FIG. 6.

The content consuming user 102 can select one of the user engagementoptions 604 by tapping a specific area of the display 115 correspondingto a user engagement option 604.

As shown in FIG. 6, the media playback device 104 may display a userengagement icon 606 on display 104 during playout of the selected mediacontent. The user engagement icon 606 alerts the content consuming user102 that user engagement information is presented on the companion userdevice 114 i.e. there is something to interact with on the secondscreen.

As shown in FIG. 6, the user engagement element 602 prompts the contentconsuming user to select a user engagement option that corresponds to apiece of auxiliary content previously played out at step S506 by theplayback module 208 prior to the desired media content.

One of the user engagement options 604 may correspond to a piece ofselected auxiliary content (previously played out by the playback module208 prior to the desired media content at step S506). One or more otheruser engagement options 604 do not correspond to the piece of selectedauxiliary content, these other user engagement options correspond toother pieces of selected auxiliary content not played out prior to thedesired media content. The user engagement options 604 may also includean option for the content consuming user 102 to indicate that theycannot remember what auxiliary content was played out prior to thedesired media content, and/or an option for the content consuming user102 to indicate that none of the user engagement options 604 correspondto auxiliary content that was played out prior to the desired mediacontent.

As a mere example to illustrate the concept, if the auxiliary contentplayed out at step S506 includes advertising content for a carmanufactured by a car manufacturer (e.g. car manufacturer A) then one ofthe user engagement options 604 may be a logo for the car manufacturer Aand the other user engagement options 604 may be logos for other carmanufacturers that manufacture cars not featured in the advertisingcontent.

The content consuming user 102 can respond to the user engagementelement 602 at their leisure, so they are not unduly distracted from themain content output by the media playback device 104. The firstopportunity to recall a brand/product may not occur within the first fewminutes of the main content (being output) due to step S510 beingperformed. The content consuming user 102 can respond as theinteractions are presented to them, or all at once, or at the end of themain content, or whenever the content consuming user 102 chooses.

When the content consuming user 102 responds, the media playback device104 is configured to transmit a user engagement response to theauxiliary content providing server 110. This is illustrated by the“Interaction signal” data flow shown in FIG. 3 b.

The auxiliary content providing server 110 detects whether or not thecontent consuming user 102 has responded properly by assessing whetheran expected user actuation has been executed (for example whether thecontent consuming user 102 has successfully recalled a brand or logoassociated with auxiliary content displayed at step S506).

In one embodiment the period of time referred to above is greater thanfive minutes to ensure that the brand or logo is really being recalled.

Referring back to the process 400 shown in FIG. 4, once the auxiliarycontent providing server 110 detects that the content consuming user 102has interacted with a piece of auxiliary content in accordance withexpected activity the process 400 proceeds to step S404 where theauxiliary content providing server 110 determines the reward point valuefor the consumption or interaction with auxiliary content detected atstep S402. Reward points provided based on the content consuming user102 consuming auxiliary content may be lower than the reward pointsprovided based on the content consuming user 102 interacting withauxiliary content. In terms of consumption (e.g. viewing/listening) ofauxiliary content, auxiliary content that is longer in length than othershorter auxiliary content may earn the content consuming user 102 morereward points than consumption of the shorter auxiliary content. Interms of interacting with auxiliary content, auxiliary content thatrequire more detailed interactions may earn the content consuming user102 more reward points than auxiliary content that require simplerinteractions.

The auxiliary content providing server 110 communicates the reward pointvalue determined at step S404 to the reward point accumulator 306 thisis illustrated by the “Add points for viewed ads to user account” dataflow shown in FIG. 3 b. This enables the reward point accumulator 306 tocommunicate the reward point balance of each user of the contentdelivery system 100 to the respective users. FIG. 3b illustrates thereward point accumulator 306 communicating the reward point balance ofthe content consuming user 102 to the media playback device 104 by wayof the “Points balance” data flow.

As described above, the reward point accumulator 306 may be implementedon the server implementing the user profile service component 304. Thusin this embodiment, at step S406, the auxiliary content providing server110 communicates the reward point value determined at step S404 to thereward point accumulator 306 on the user profile service 304 so that thereward point value determined at step S404 are added to reward pointbalance associated with a media consumption account associated with thecontent consuming user 102. This is illustrated by the “Pointsaccumulated” data flow shown in FIG. 3 a.

Referring back to the process 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 b, this rewardpoint issuance is performed at step S518.

In response to the determination at step S510, for each selectedauxiliary content played out by the playback module 208 at step S506prior to the playout of the desired media content at step S508, theauxiliary content server 110 is configured to perform steps S512 a, S512b, S516, and S518. This is controlled by the auxiliary content server110 performing a check at step S520 to determine whether user engagementdata for each piece of selected auxiliary content played out at stepS506 has been transmitted to the companion user device 114.

In order to consume desired content within limits of a constrainedresource, the content consuming user 102 is able to redeem accumulatedreward points on rewards that enhance the overall content consumptionexperience of the content consuming user 102. Embodiments discussedbelow enable flexibility as to when redemption of accumulated rewardpoints may occur.

Prior to selection of desired media content, the content consuming user102 may redeem accumulated reward points on one or more rewards.

A list of rewards available for redemption by the content consuming user102 is communicated from the rewards service 302 to either the mediaplayback device 104 or the companion user device 114 associated with thecontent consuming user 102 for display to the content consuming user102. This is illustrated by the “list of affordable rewards” data flowshown in FIG. 3a (list of rewards communicated to the companion userdevice 114) and the “affordable, applicable rewards available” data flowshown in FIG. 3b (list of rewards communicated to the media playbackdevice 104).

Each reward in the list of rewards is associated with a number of rewardpoints required to redeem the reward. By a device (the media playbackdevice 104 or the companion user device 114) having access to the listof rewards (and the reward point value associated with each reward inthe list) and the reward point balance associated with the mediaconsumption account of the content consuming user 102, the device isable to display a subset of rewards (in the list of rewards) to thecontent consuming user 102, the reward point value associated with eachreward in the subset of rewards having a reward point value equal to orless than the reward point balance associated with the media consumptionaccount of the content consuming user 102.

A reward in the list of rewards may have a lasting effect followingredemption which is limited by a predetermined period of time. Forexample, the list of rewards may include a reward that enables (i) nomid-roll auxiliary content (auxiliary content that is required to beoutput during output of desired media content) in TV shows for 48 hours(following redemption), (ii) no pre-roll auxiliary content (auxiliarycontent that is required to be output prior to output of desired mediacontent) before TV shows for 48 hours (following redemption), and/or(iii) no mid-roll auxiliary content in movies for 48 hours (followingredemption) etc. Alternatively a reward in the list of rewards may havea lasting effect following redemption which is limited by apredetermined number of usage instances. For example, the list ofrewards may include a reward that enables no pre-roll auxiliary contentin a predetermined number of movies.

It will be appreciated that the above described rewards are merelyexamples. Whilst each of the described rewards has the same expiry timeperiod, the rewards list may include rewards that are associated withdifferent expiry time periods. Whilst each of the described rewards isassociated with a particular content type (e.g. TV show, movie), therewards list may include rewards that are not associated with aparticular content type (e.g. no mid-roll auxiliary content in all mediacontent for 48 hours).

When a reward is purchased by the content consuming user 102 by making aselection on the media playback device 104 or the companion user device114, this reward purchase is communicated to the rewards service 302.This is illustrated by the “request to purchase reward” data flow shownin FIG. 3a (selection of reward made using companion user device 114)and the “purchase reward” data flow shown in FIG. 3b (selection ofreward made using the media playback device 104).

When a reward is purchased by the content consuming user 102, therewards service 302 is configured to communicate this purchase to theuser profile service 304. This is illustrated by the “updates list ofpurchased rewards” data flow shown in FIG. 3 a.

When a reward is purchased by the content consuming user 102, therewards service 302 is also configured to communicate this purchase tothe reward point accumulator 306 this is illustrated by the “consumepoints” data flow shown in FIG. 3 b. This enables the reward pointaccumulator 306 to communicate the updated reward point balance of thecontent consuming user 102 to the media playback device 104 by way ofthe “Points balance” data flow.

When the auxiliary content providing server 110 is required to selectauxiliary content for the content consuming user 102, the auxiliarycontent providing server 110 is configured to ask the user profileservice 304 for details of any currently valid rewards that have beenpurchased by the content consuming user 102. In response, the userprofile service 304 is configured to communicate details of currentlyvalid rewards to the auxiliary content providing server 110. This isillustrated by the “rewards available” data flow shown in FIG. 3 a.

Reference is now made to FIG. 7 which illustrates a process 700performed by the auxiliary content server 110 that enables that thecontent consuming user 102 to consume desired media content within thelimits of the constrained resource.

The process 700 starts in response to the content consuming user 102selecting to consume an item of media content. As described above, inresponse to detecting this selection, the playout controller 204 isconfigured to transmit a request for the desired media content over thenetwork 106 to the primary content server 108, and in response, receivethe desired media content and metadata associated with the desired mediacontent from the primary content server 108.

In response to receipt of the desired media content and its associatedmetadata, the playout controller 204 is configured to transmit a requestfor auxiliary content insertion information (e.g. an ad manifest) thatis associated with the desired media content to the auxiliary contentserver 110. The request includes an identifier of the content consuminguser 102 (e.g. an account number of a media consumption account of thecontent consuming user 102) and an identifier of the desired mediacontent.

At step S702, the auxiliary content server 110 receives this request forauxiliary content insertion information.

At step S704, the auxiliary content server 110 is configured todetermine whether the desired media content is to be consumed in aplayout session at the media playback device 104 with auxiliary contentinserted in the playout session using the identifier of the contentconsuming user 102 and the identifier of the desired media content inthe received request.

If at step S704, the auxiliary content server 110 determines that thedesired media content is to be consumed in a playout session at themedia playback device 104 with no auxiliary content inserted in theplayout session then the process proceeds to step S706 where theauxiliary content server 110 returns an empty manifest to the mediaplayback device 104 (i.e. auxiliary content insertion information whichdoes not include any metadata identifying auxiliary content is to beinserted in the playout session).

If at step S704, the auxiliary content server 110 determines that thedesired media content is to be consumed in a playout session at themedia playback device 104 with auxiliary content inserted in the playoutsession then the process 700 proceeds to step S708.

At step S708, the auxiliary content server 110 transmits a request tothe user profile service component 304 for information on redeemedrewards associated with the user identifier for the content consuminguser 102 by way of a reward query. The user profile service component304 returns a response to the auxiliary content server 110 whichincludes information on redeemed rewards associated with the useridentifier for the content consuming user 102. This is shown in FIG. 3aby the “rewards available” data received from the user profile servicecomponent 304.

The auxiliary content server 110 is configured to generate auxiliarycontent insertion information based on the identifier of the contentconsuming user 102, the identifier of the desired media content, and theinformation on redeemed rewards associated with the user identifier forthe content consuming user 102.

At step S708, the auxiliary content server 110 determines whether thecontent consuming user 102 has a current reward that allows pre-rollauxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content.

If the auxiliary content server 110 determines at step S708 that thecontent consuming user 102 does not have a current reward that allowspre-roll auxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content,the process 700 proceeds to step S710 where the auxiliary content server110 selects pre-roll auxiliary content and adds metadata identifying theselected pre-roll auxiliary content to the auxiliary content insertioninformation. The process 700 then proceeds to step S712.

If the auxiliary content server 110 determines at step S708 that thecontent consuming user 102 has a current reward that allows pre-rollauxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content, ingenerating the auxiliary content information (e.g. the advert manifest)the auxiliary content server 110 is configured to not include anyinformation pertaining to pre-roll auxiliary content in the auxiliarycontent insertion information based on this determination and theprocess 700 proceeds to step S712.

At step S712, the auxiliary content server 110 determines whether thecontent consuming user 102 has a current reward that allows mid-rollauxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content.

If the auxiliary content server 110 determines at step S712 that thecontent consuming user 102 does not have a current reward that allowspre-roll auxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content,the process 700 proceeds to step S714 where the auxiliary content server110 selects mid-roll auxiliary content and adds metadata identifying theselected mid-roll auxiliary content to the auxiliary content insertioninformation. The process 700 then proceeds to step S716.

If the auxiliary content server 110 determines at step S712 that thecontent consuming user 102 has a current reward that allows mid-rollauxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content ingenerating the auxiliary content insertion information (e.g. the advertmanifest) the auxiliary content server 110 is configured to not includeany information pertaining to mid-roll auxiliary content in theadvertising content insertion information based on this determinationand the process 700 proceeds to step S716.

At step S716, the auxiliary content server 110 determines whether thecontent consuming user 102 has a current reward that allows post-rollauxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content.

If the auxiliary content server 110 determines at step S716 that thecontent consuming user 102 does not have a current reward that allowspost-roll auxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content,the process 700 proceeds to step S718 where the auxiliary content server110 selects post-roll auxiliary content and adds metadata identifyingthe selected post-roll auxiliary content to the auxiliary contentinsertion information. The process 700 then proceeds to step S720.

If the auxiliary content server 110 determines that the contentconsuming user 102 has a current reward that allows post-roll auxiliarycontent to be skipped for the desired media content in generating theauxiliary content insertion information (e.g. the advert manifest) theauxiliary content server 110 is configured to not include anyinformation pertaining to post-roll auxiliary content in the auxiliarycontent insertion information based on this determination and theprocess 700 proceeds to step S720.

For each piece of auxiliary content that is to be inserted in theplayout session, metadata associated with the piece of auxiliary contentthat is included in the auxiliary content insertion informationcomprises at least (i) an identifier enabling access to the piece ofauxiliary content stored in an auxiliary content store 112 connected tothe communication network 106; and (ii) a timing offset indicating whenthe piece of auxiliary content is to be played out in the playoutsession in relation to the desired media content.

Furthermore for each piece of auxiliary content that is to be insertedin the playout session, the auxiliary content server 110 is configuredto insert, in the metadata associated with the piece of auxiliarycontent, an event trigger that causes the media playback device 104 totransmit a tracking message to the auxiliary content server 110 upondetecting that playout of the piece of auxiliary content has beenskipped by the user. The auxiliary content server 110 may be furtherconfigured to insert, in the metadata associated with the piece ofauxiliary content one or more further event triggers e.g. an eventtrigger for when the first quarter of the piece of auxiliary content hasplayed; another when it reaches half way; another at the three-quartermark etc.

The tracking event reports allow the auxiliary content server 110 tomeasure which pieces of auxiliary content were started, which failedbecause the ad creative was unavailable; which piece(s) of auxiliarycontent were watched all the way through; which piece(s) of auxiliarycontent only reached the half-way point before the viewer quit playbacketc.

A reward may be limited to pre/mid/post rolls, or a particular genre ofcontent or to prime-time viewing (or not), an individual piece ofcontent (a first run movie for example) etc.

At step S720, the auxiliary content server 110 is configured to transmitthe generated auxiliary content insertion information over thecommunication network 106 to the media playback device 104. It will beappreciated that if the auxiliary content server 110 determines that thecontent consuming user 102 does not have any current rewards that wouldallow any auxiliary content to be skipped for the desired media content,the auxiliary content server 110 generates auxiliary content insertioninformation (e.g. an advert manifest) which includes metadata associatedwith auxiliary content identified at step S704.

Once the playback controller 204 has received the auxiliary contentinsertion information from the auxiliary content server 110 and thedesired media content from the primary content providing server 108, theplayback controller 204 has entire control of playback of desired mediacontent and auxiliary content that is retrieved based on metadataidentifying the auxiliary content that is included auxiliary contentinsertion information.

If the auxiliary content insertion information identifies pre-rollauxiliary content (i.e. the auxiliary content server 110 determined atstep S708 that the consuming user 102 does not have any current rewardsthat would allow pre-roll auxiliary content to be skipped for thedesired media content), then the playback controller 204 retrievespre-roll auxiliary content from the auxiliary content store(s) 112 usingthe metadata in the received auxiliary content information and controlsplayout of the retrieved pre-roll auxiliary content prior to playout ofthe selected media content.

If the auxiliary content insertion information does not identify anypre-roll auxiliary content (i.e. the auxiliary content server 110determined at step S708 that the content consuming user 102 does have acurrent reward that allows pre-roll auxiliary content to be skipped forthe desired media content), the media playback device 104 does notretrieve any pre-roll auxiliary content from the auxiliary contentstore(s) 112 (as no pre-roll auxiliary content was identified in thereceived auxiliary content insertion information), and playout of theselected media content commences.

If the auxiliary content insertion information identifies mid-rollauxiliary content (i.e. the auxiliary content server 110 determined atstep S712 that the consuming user 102 does not have any current rewardsthat would allow mid-roll auxiliary content to be skipped for thedesired media content), then during playback of the desired mediacontent the playout controller 204 is configured to detect that a breakpoint associated with mid-roll auxiliary content (auxiliary content thatis to be played out by the media playback device during the desiredmedia content) is approaching and retrieve mid-roll auxiliary contentfrom the auxiliary content store(s) 112 using the metadata in thereceived auxiliary content information and controls playout of theretrieved mid-roll auxiliary content during playout of the desired mediacontent at S716

If the auxiliary content insertion information does not identify anymid-roll auxiliary content (i.e. the auxiliary content server 110determined at step S712 that the content consuming user 102 does have acurrent reward that allows mid-roll auxiliary content to be skipped forthe desired media content), the media playback device 104 does notretrieve any mid-roll auxiliary content from the auxiliary contentstore(s) 112 (as no mid-roll auxiliary content was identified in thereceived auxiliary content insertion information), and playout of thedesired media content continues until the end of the desired mediacontent.

If the auxiliary content insertion information identifies post-rollauxiliary content (i.e. the auxiliary content server 110 determined atstep S716 that the consuming user 102 does not have any current rewardsthat would allow mid-roll auxiliary content to be skipped for thedesired media content), then the playout controller 204 is configured todetect that the end of the desired media content is approaching andretrieve post-roll auxiliary content from the auxiliary content store(s)112 using the metadata in the received auxiliary content information andcontrols playout of the retrieved post-roll auxiliary content afterplayout of the desired media content.

If the auxiliary content insertion information does not identify anypost-roll auxiliary content (i.e. the auxiliary content server 110determined at step S716 that the content consuming user 102 does have acurrent reward that allows mid-roll auxiliary content to be skipped forthe desired media content), the media playback device 104 does notretrieve any post-roll auxiliary content from the auxiliary contentstore(s) 112 (as no mid-roll auxiliary content was identified in thereceived auxiliary content insertion information).

As will be appreciated the adaption of the auxiliary content associatedwith desired media content by the auxiliary content information returnedby the auxiliary content server 110 to the media playback device 104 inthe process 700 enables the content consuming user 102 to consume thedesired media content within the limits of the constrained resource.

It will be appreciated that the content consuming user 102 may have acurrent reward that allows only a portion of auxiliary contentassociated with a particular location in the desired media content (e.g.pre-roll, mid-roll) to be skipped. Thus in this scenario, the auxiliarycontent information (e.g. the advert manifest) will still include atleast one identifier of auxiliary content that is to be retrieved fromthe auxiliary content store(s) 112 for playout at the location (break)in the desired media content. However it will be apparent that theamount of auxiliary content to be played out to the content consumer 102will still be reduced which may enable the content consuming user 102 toconsume the desired media content within the limits of the constrainedresource.

Whilst it has been described above that prior to selection of desiredmedia content, the content consuming user 102 may redeem accumulatedreward points on one or more rewards. Embodiments of the presentinvention extend to the redemption of accumulated reward points on areward after selection of desired media content.

Reference is now made to FIG. 8 which illustrates a process 800 thatenables that the content consuming user 102 to consume desired mediacontent within the limits of the constrained resource.

As described above, the media playback device 104 is arranged to displaymedia content that is available for selection by the content consuminguser 102 on the display 105 of the media playback device 104.

The media playback device 104 is arranged to display media content thatis available for selection by the content consuming user 102 on thedisplay 105 of the media playback device 104.

At step S802, the content consuming user 102 selects to consume an itemof media content.

The selected media content may be associated with an auxiliary contentbreak pattern that defines at least one break point at which auxiliarycontent is to be inserted into the playout stream (e.g. it is availablefor viewing with one or any combination of pre-roll, mid-roll, andpost-roll auxiliary content). A list of rewards available for redemptionby the content consuming user 102 is communicated from the rewardsservice 302 to either the media playback device 104 or the companionuser device 114 associated with the content consuming user 102 fordisplay to the content consuming user 102.

This rewards list may indicate that the selected media content is alsoavailable for viewing in one or more resource constrained playout modeswith reduced auxiliary content for example: no pre-roll auxiliarycontent, no mid-roll auxiliary content, and no pre-roll or mid-rollauxiliary content. Each of these playback modes (content consumptionformats) has an associated reward point price and is associated with adiffering set of auxiliary content. One of the playback modes may allowthe selected media content to be consumed in a playout session with noauxiliary content.

If playback of the selected media content in a resource constrainedplayout mode is not available, then the selected media content isretrieved (as described above) and output on the media playback device104 at step S806. Consumption and/or interactions with auxiliary contentassociated with the selected media content that is output at step S806allows the content consuming user 102 to accrue rewards points.

If playback of the selected media content in a resource constrainedplayout mode is available, then the media playback device 104 isarranged to display the reward points required to view the desired mediacontent in one or more of these further playback modes at step S808.

If the content consuming user 102 does not select to redeem rewardpoints to consume the desired media content in a resource constrainedplayout mode then the process 800 proceeds to step S812 whereby theselected media content is retrieved (as described above) and output onthe media playback device 104 (including output of the auxiliarycontent).

If the content consuming user 102 does select to redeem reward points toconsume the desired media content in a resource constrained playout modethen the process 800 proceeds to step S814 whereby the rewards service302 communicates this reward purchase to the reward point accumulator306. At step S814, The reward point accumulator 306 is configured todeduct the reward point price associated with the media content in theselected playback mode from the reward point balance associated with themedia consumption account of the content consuming user 102.

The rewards service 302 also communicates this reward purchase to userprofile service 304.

The primary content server 108 transmits the desired media content andmetadata associated with the desired media content to the media playbackdevice 104.

In response to detecting the auxiliary content identifier in themetadata associated with the desired media content, the playoutcontroller 204 is further configured to transmit a request for auxiliarycontent insertion information to the auxiliary content server 110. Uponreceiving the request for auxiliary content insertion information (e.g.an advert manifest) from the media playback device 104, the auxiliarycontent providing server 110 is configured to ask the user profileservice 304 for details of any currently valid rewards that have beenpurchased by the content consuming user 102. In response, the userprofile service 304 is configured to communicate details of currentlyvalid rewards to the auxiliary content providing server 110. Upondetermining that the content consuming user 102 has redeemed points toconsume the desired media content in a resource constrained playoutmode, then the auxiliary content server 110 is configured to generateauxiliary content insertion information to not include any metadataassociated with auxiliary content covered by the reward redeemed by thecontent consuming user 102.

The auxiliary content server 110 transmits the generated auxiliarycontent insertion information to the media playback device 104.Therefore, at step S816, the selected media content is played out on themedia playback device 104 in accordance with the selected resourceconstrained playout mode whereby auxiliary content associated with theauxiliary content break type (pre-roll, mid roll) covered by thepurchased reward is not output to the content consuming user 102.

As will be appreciated the generation of the auxiliary content insertioninformation by the auxiliary content server 110 in dependence oninformation on redeemed rewards associated with the user identifier forthe content consuming user 102 enables the content consuming user 102 toconsume the desired media content within the limits of the constrainedresource.

Further flexibility is provided in that embodiments of the presentinvention also extend to the redemption of accumulated reward points ona reward during consumption of auxiliary content associated with desiredmedia content.

The reward redeemed prior to selection of desired media content (FIG. 7)or redeemed after selection of desired media content (FIG. 8) mayindicate that the output of the auxiliary content covered by theredeemed reward is to be deferred to a later point in time. For exampledefer the output of the auxiliary content to the next time a piece ofdesired media content is selected for consumption.

In this scenario, the auxiliary content server 110 is configured tostore information identifying the auxiliary content covered by theredeemed reward and timing information providing an indication as towhen the auxiliary content covered by the redeemed reward is to beplayed out.

This stored information is assessed by the auxiliary content server 110in the generation of auxiliary content insertion information when itreceives future requests for auxiliary content insertion informationthat includes an identifier of the content consuming user 102. Forexample the auxiliary content server 110 may cause the auxiliary contentcovered by the redeemed reward to be identified in auxiliary contentinsertion information the next time the auxiliary content server 110receives a request for auxiliary content insertion information thatincludes an identifier of the content consuming user 102, or the nexttime the auxiliary content server 110 receives a request for auxiliarycontent insertion information that includes an identifier of the contentconsuming user 102 after a predetermined period of time has elapsedsince the content consuming user 102 purchased the reward

In another embodiment, the reward redeemed prior to selection of desiredmedia content (FIG. 7) or redeemed after selection of desired mediacontent (FIG. 8) may indicate that the auxiliary content covered by theredeemed reward is to be deferred to another device associated with thecontent consuming user 102, for example the companion user device 114.

The auxiliary content server 110 is configured to store informationidentifying the auxiliary content covered by the redeemed reward. Thisstored information is used by the auxiliary content server 110 in thegeneration of auxiliary content insertion information when it receives arequest for auxiliary content insertion information from a companionuser device 114 that includes an identifier of the content consuminguser 102.

Thus the auxiliary content server 110 is configured to supply auxiliarycontent information (e.g. an advert manifest) to the companion userdevice 114 such that the auxiliary content covered by the redeemedreward is retrieved by the companion user device 114 from the one ormore auxiliary content store 112 and output to the content consuminguser 102 using the companion user device 114.

By deferring playout of auxiliary content to the companion user device114, the desired media content may be played out on the media playbackdevice 114 without interruption: Playout of auxiliary content on thecompanion user device 114, and playout of desired media content on themedia playback device may occur simultaneously. This enables the contentconsuming user 102 to consume the desired media content within thelimits of the constrained resource. Delivery of deferred auxiliarycontent to the companion user device 114 is illustrated by the “deferredads” data flow shown in FIG. 3 a.

Reference is now made to FIG. 9 which illustrates a process 900 thatenables that the content consuming user 102 to consume desired mediacontent within the limits of the constrained resource.

At step S902, the content consuming user 102 is consuming auxiliarycontent associated with selected desired media content. The auxiliarycontent may be pre-roll or mid-roll auxiliary content. The process ofhow this auxiliary content is retrieved and output by the media playbackdevice 104 has been described above and is therefore not repeated here.

The playout controller 204 transmits a request to the rewards service302 for a list of rewards available for redemption by the contentconsuming user 102. In response to receiving this request, the rewardsservice 302 transmits a request to the reward point accumulator 306requesting the reward point balance associated with the mediaconsumption account of the content consuming user 102, and in responsereceives the reward point balance associated with the media consumptionaccount of the content consuming user 102 from the reward pointaccumulator 306.

The rewards service 302 is configured to determine whether there arerewards which are not currently held by the content consuming user 102but which are affordable and are relevant to the current break forauxiliary content, and if so transmit a list of rewards that can bepurchased by the content consuming user 102 to the media playback device104.

At step S908, in response to receiving the list of rewards that can bepurchased by the content consuming user 102, the playout controller 204displays an icon on the display 105 of the media playback device 104that indicates that a reward is purchasable.

The content consuming user 102 can select the displayed icon using theuser interface 202. At step S910, the playout controller 204 waits untilit detects selection of the displayed icon by the content consuming user102.

In response to this detection, at step S912 the playout controller 204pauses output of the auxiliary content and displays the rewards that areavailable to the content consuming user 102 on the display 105 of themedia playback device 104.

At step S914, the playout controller 204 monitors whether it hasreceived a selection by the user to redeem one or more of the rewardsdisplayed at step S914.

If the playout controller 204 detects that it has received a selectionby the user to redeem one or more of the rewards displayed at step S912,then the process 900 proceeds to step S916 where the selected reward ispurchased.

At step S916, the playout controller 204 transmits a purchase request ofthe selected reward to the rewards service 302. In response to receivingthe purchase request, the rewards service 302 transmits a request to thereward point accumulator 306 requesting the reward point balanceassociated with the media consumption account of the content consuminguser 102, and in response receives the reward point balance associatedwith the media consumption account of the content consuming user 102from the reward point accumulator 306. The rewards service 302communicates this reward purchase to the user profile service 304 sothat this currently valid reward can be indicated to the auxiliarycontent providing server 110 on request. The rewards service 302 alsocommunicates this purchase to the reward point accumulator 306. Thisenables the reward point accumulator 306 to communicate the updatedreward point balance of the content consuming user 102 to the mediaplayback device 104 by way of the “Points balance” data flow.

The rewards service 302 transmits a message to the media playback device104 acknowledging successful purchase of the rewards and returns detailsof the auxiliary content which can be skipped.

Thus at step S918, the output of the current piece of auxiliary contentbeing consumed is stopped by the playout controller 204 and the playoutcontroller 204 controls the playback module 208 to playout the selectedmedia content whereby any subsequent pieces of auxiliary contentaffected by the purchased reward are also skipped. For example if thecontent consuming user 102 acquires a permission voucher (reward) toskip mid-roll adverts while watching the second advert in the firstmid-roll break, then this current advert, all further adverts in thefirst mid-roll ad break and all future mid-rolls in this playout sessionare skipped. This enables the content consuming user 102 to consume thedesired media content within the limits of the constrained resource.

At step S918, upon detecting that one or more pieces of auxiliarycontent have been skipped, the event trigger inserted in the metadataassociated with the one or more pieces of auxiliary content by theauxiliary content server 110 causes the media playback device 104 totransmit a tracking message to the auxiliary content providing server110 for each piece of auxiliary content that is retrieved from anauxiliary content store 112 but which was unused stating how and whynot. In this way, the media playback device 104 is able to report onauxiliary content that caused the content consuming user 102 to purchasea reward and at what point within them a reward was purchased.

Referring back to step S904, if the rewards service 302 determines thatthere are no rewards which are not currently held by the contentconsuming user 102 but which are affordable and are relevant to thecurrent break for auxiliary content, the rewards service 302 does nottransmit a list of rewards that can be purchased by the contentconsuming user 102 to the media playback device 104.

Referring back to step S914, if the playout controller 204 detects thatthe content consuming user 102 has selected not to redeem one or more ofthe rewards displayed at step S912, then the process 900 proceeds backto step S904 which is performed during playout of the next piece ofauxiliary content.

Whilst the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 9 to alerting(during output of auxiliary content) that the content consuming user 102has a reward is purchasable to skip output of auxiliary content. Inanother embodiment no such alert is output to the content consuming user102.

The list of rewards (and the reward point value associated with eachreward in the list) may include the reward point value to skip theoutput of a single piece of auxiliary content such that the single pieceof auxiliary content is not played out to content consuming user 102.Thus based on the reward list and the reward point balance associatedwith the media consumption account of the content consuming user 102, inresponse to receiving a request that a single piece of auxiliary contentis skipped the rewards service 302 is able to determine whether thisrequest is actionable based on the reward point balance associated withthe media consumption account of the content consuming user 102.

If the rewards service 302 determines that the request to skip theauxiliary content is actionable based on the reward point balanceassociated with the media consumption account of the content consuminguser 102, the rewards service 302 transmits a message to the mediaplayback device 104 acknowledging successful purchase of the reward andreturns details of the piece of auxiliary content which can be skipped.

Thus, the playout controller 204 controls the playback module 208 tostop playout of the auxiliary content and may either (i) commenceplayout of further auxiliary content that is retrieved based on theauxiliary content information (e.g. an advert manifest) received fromthe auxiliary content server 110, or (ii) control the playback module208 to playout the desired media content (if the skipped piece ofauxiliary content was the last piece of auxiliary content to be playedout in the break for auxiliary content in the playout of the desiredmedia content). This enables the content consuming user 102 to consumethe desired media content within the limits of the constrained resource.

The rewards service 302 communicates this reward purchase to the userprofile service 304 and to the reward point accumulator 306 so that theupdated reward point balance of the content consuming user 102 can becommunicated to the media playback device 104.

An option to skip a single piece of auxiliary content may be displayedon the display 105 of the media playback device 104 regardless ofwhether the reward point balance associated with the media consumptionaccount of the content consuming user 102 indicates that the reward toskip the output of a single piece of auxiliary content is affordable forthe content consuming user 102 or not. If the reward to skip the outputof a single piece of auxiliary content is not affordable for the contentconsuming user 102, the playout controller 204 may display a message onthe display 105 of the media playback device 104 alerting them to this.

As an alternative, an option to skip a single piece of auxiliary contentmay be displayed on the display 105 of the media playback device 104only if the reward point balance associated with the media consumptionaccount of the content consuming user 102 indicates that the reward toskip the output of a single piece of auxiliary content is affordable forthe content consuming user 102.

In a modification to the above described embodiment, in response todetecting that the content consuming user 102 has selected to skip asingle piece of auxiliary content and that the request to skip theauxiliary content is actionable based on the reward point balanceassociated with the media consumption account of the content consuminguser 102, the playout controller 204 is configured to transmit a requestfor auxiliary content information to the auxiliary content server 110via the network interface 206 over the network 106, and in response,receive auxiliary content information from the auxiliary content server110.

In response to receiving this auxiliary content information from theauxiliary content server 110, the playout controller 204 is configuredto display one or more auxiliary content options (referenced in theauxiliary content information from the auxiliary content server 110)that correspond to respective one or more pieces of auxiliary contentthat the content consuming user 102 may select to consume at a latertime (for example when they are next consuming media content not withinthe limits of a constrained resource). For example a list ofadvertisements may be displayed on the display 105 of the media playbackdevice 104.

If the content consuming user 102 selects not to defer consumption ofauxiliary content the playout controller 204 detects that the contentconsuming user 102 has selected to skip a single piece of auxiliarycontent and the playout controller 204 operates in accordance with theabove described embodiment.

If the content consuming user 102 selects one or more pieces ofauxiliary content that the content consuming user 102 agrees to consumeat a later time, the playout controller 204 is configured to transmit anindication of the selected one or more pieces of auxiliary content tothe auxiliary content server 110. This information is stored by theauxiliary content server 110 and used in the generation of auxiliarycontent insertion information when a device associated with the contentconsuming user 102 later requests auxiliary content insertioninformation from the auxiliary content server 110. For example theauxiliary content server 110 may cause the selected one or more piecesof auxiliary content to be played the next time a piece of desired mediacontent is selected for consumption by the content consuming user 102,or the next time a piece of desired media content is selected after apredetermined period of time has elapsed since the content consuminguser 102 selects to consume the one or more pieces of auxiliary contentat a later time.

The reward point value associated with the deferral of output ofauxiliary content may be less than the reward point value associatedwith skipping of output of auxiliary content (such that the auxiliarycontent is not played out to content consuming user 102).

By agreeing to consume auxiliary content at a later time, the contentconsuming user 102 is able to consume the desired media content withinthe limits of a constrained resource.

As described above, the auxiliary content server 110 is configured toreceive a tracking message for each piece of auxiliary content that wasskipped at step S918.

The reward purchased at step S916 may allow the deferral of the outputof auxiliary content covered by the reward (e.g. a single piece ofauxiliary content, or all auxiliary content associated with one or morebreak types (e.g. pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll) etc.) to a later pointin time. For example defer the output of the auxiliary content to thenext time a piece of desired media content is selected for consumption.The reward point value may be based on the amount of auxiliary contentthat is to be deferred.

When a piece of auxiliary content is skipped during playback because ofa reward purchased during that playback, the tracking message wouldcontain an indicator to say why the piece of auxiliary content has beenskipped. In the case of a reward that allows deferral of the output ofauxiliary content to a later point in time this indicator may forexample take the form of “skipped, deferred”.

In this scenario, in response to receiving such a tracking message theauxiliary content server 110 is configured to store informationidentifying the skipped piece of auxiliary content covered by theredeemed reward and timing information providing an indication as towhen the piece of auxiliary content is to be played out. As describedabove, this stored information is assessed by the auxiliary contentserver 110 in the generation of auxiliary content insertion informationwhen it receives future requests for auxiliary content insertioninformation that includes an identifier of the content consuming user102.

The reward (purchased at step S916 may allow the deferral of the outputof auxiliary content covered by the reward (e.g. a single piece ofauxiliary content, or all auxiliary content associated with one or morebreak types (e.g. pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll) etc.) to another deviceassociated with the content consuming user 102, for example thecompanion user device 114.

In the case of a reward that allows deferral of the output of auxiliarycontent to another device, the indicator in the tracking messagetransmitted from the media playback device 104 to the auxiliary contentserver 110 may take the form of “skipped, redirected”.

The media playback device 104 is configured to transmit a message to thecompanion user device 114 to cause the companion user device 114 totransmit its own request for auxiliary content insertion information tothe auxiliary content server 110.

In response to receiving such a tracking message the auxiliary contentserver 110 is configured to store information identifying the skippedpiece of auxiliary content covered by the redeemed reward. This storedinformation is used by the auxiliary content server 110 in thegeneration of auxiliary content insertion information when it receivesthe request for auxiliary content insertion information from a companionuser device 114 that includes an identifier of the content consuminguser 102.

The auxiliary content server 110 is configured to supply the generatedauxiliary content insertion information (e.g. an advert manifest) to thecompanion user device 114 such that the auxiliary content covered by theredeemed reward is retrieved by the companion user device 114 from theone or more auxiliary content store 112 and output to the contentconsuming user 102 using the companion user device 114.

Whilst embodiments have been described above with regards to theredemption of reward points (accrued through user consumption and/orengagement with auxiliary content) to adapt the way auxiliary content isoutput to the content consuming user 102. Embodiments also extend to theredemption of reward points to enable functionality with respect tocontent, in particular enabling the content consuming user 102 access toenhanced content.

In addition to the components of the content delivery system 100described above with reference to FIGS. 3a and 3 b, the content deliverysystem 100 may further comprise an interactions server (otherwisereferred to herein as a content control module) that is connected to thenetwork 106 and is configured to supply interactions options over thenetwork 106 to user devices connected to the network 106 for interactingwith content played out on the user devices.

The media playback device 104 is arranged to display a selectable iconor button, for interacting with desired media content that is retrievedfrom the primary content server 108 and played out on the media playbackdevice 104, on the display 105 of the media playback device 104. Acontent consuming user 102 is able to select the displayed icon bysupplying an input that is received by the user interface 202. Inresponse to detecting selection of this displayed icon, the playoutcontroller 204 is configured to transmit a request for interactionoptions to the interactions server, and in response, receive interactionoptions which are rendered on the display 105 of the media playbackdevice 104 for selection by the content consuming user 102 to interactwith the desired media content played out on the media playback device104. The received interaction options may be rendered on the display 105of the media playback device 104 or on the display of the companion userdevice 114 in an interactive voting panel shown alongside video contentthat is played out on the display 105 of the media playback device 104.

The list of rewards (and the reward point value associated with eachreward in the list) may include the reward point value for a reward ofthe delivery of an enhanced list of interaction options for interactingwith desired content played out on the media playback device 104, theenhanced list of interaction options comprising interaction optionsdifferent to those provided in a standard list of interaction optionsthat the interactions server is otherwise configured to supply to themedia playback device 104 in response to receipt of a request forinteraction options from the media playback device 104. The enhancedlist of interaction options may comprise a larger number of interactionoptions compared with the standard list of interaction options, howeverthis may not necessarily be the case.

In response to receiving a request for interaction options from theplayout controller 204, the interactions server is configured toselectively deliver an enhanced list of interaction options to the mediaplayback device 104 based on the engagement monitoring data held inassociation with the identifier of the content consuming user 102.

The interactions server may determine that an enhanced list ofinteraction options is to be delivered to the media playback device 104based on (i) transmitting a reward query to the user profile servicecomponent 304 to determine that the content consuming user 102 has avalid reward enabling the enhanced list of interaction options to bedelivered; or (ii) transmitting a request to the reward pointaccumulator 306 requesting the reward point balance associated with themedia consumption account of the content consuming user 102, anddetermining that the reward point balance is at level enabling theenhanced list of interaction options to be delivered.

In response to determining that an enhanced list of interaction optionsis to be delivered, the interactions server is configured to deliver theenhanced list of interaction options, for interacting with the desiredcontent played out on the media playback device 104, over the network106 to the media playback device 104 or the companion user device 114.

In one example the reward of an enhanced list of interaction options forinteracting with a reality TV show may include an interaction option totransmit a vote in respect of the reality TV show for free over thecommunications network 106 to a server connected the communicationnetwork 106 configured to collect votes for the reality TV show, ratherthan an option to vote in respect of the reality TV show by way of apremium rate telephone number provided in a standard list of interactionoptions that the interactions server would otherwise supply to the mediaplayback device 104.

In another example, the enhanced interactions may enable access tobehind-the-scenes footage from documentaries (e.g. how the show wasfilmed etc . . . ); or deleted scenes or extended versions. Where thesewould or should appear in the show, an on screen indicator appearsallowing the viewer to insert/replace as appropriate. With a making-ofscene, for example, during the filming of cliff nesting birds, aninteraction might appear on screen that allows the viewer to see how theshots were captured, the filming techniques etc. In educationalscenarios, interactions might include study guide information and/orquestions that appear along with the content to provide assistedlearning opportunities.

In addition to the components of the content delivery system 100described above with reference to FIGS. 3a and 3 b, the content deliverysystem 100 may further comprise a media metadata server (otherwisereferred to herein as a content control module) that is connected to thenetwork 106 and is configured to supply metadata associated with contentover the network 106 to user devices connected to the network 106 of thecontent delivery system 100 for use in rendering programme detail pageson the user devices.

The media playback device 104 is arranged to display media content thatis available for selection by the content consuming user 102 on thedisplay 105 of the media playback device 104. A content consuming user102 is able to select desired media content that they wish to consume bysupplying an input that is received by the user interface 202.

In response to detecting a selection of desired media content by thecontent consuming user 102, the playout controller 204 is configured totransmit a request for metadata associated with the desired mediacontent over the network 106 to the media metadata server, and inresponse, receive the metadata associated with the desired media contentfrom the media metadata server.

The received metadata associated with the desired media content isrendered on the display 105 of the media playback device 104 in the formof a programme detail page. The programme detail page may include forexample a viewing area for viewing the desired media content, aselectable ‘play’ button to view the desired media content in theviewing area, and other information related to the desired media contentincluding for example, content title, series/episode information,content description, information on when the desired media content wasfirst aired, the remaining time (e.g. in days) the desired media contentwill be available for viewing, content credits identifying contributorsto the production of the content etc.

The list of rewards (and the reward point value associated with eachreward in the list) may include the reward point value for a reward ofaccess to a locked version of a piece of content that would otherwise beunavailable to the content consuming user 102. For example a specialdirector's cut version, an extended version of a piece of content, aversion comprising additional content, an interactive version of thepiece of media content.

In response to receiving a request for metadata associated with selecteddesired media content from the playout controller 204, the mediametadata server is configured to selectively deliver metadata enablingthe user access to the locked version of the selected media content tothe media playback device 104 based on the engagement monitoring dataheld in association with the identifier of the content consuming user102.

The media metadata server may determine that metadata enabling the useraccess to the locked version of the selected media content is to bedelivered to the media playback device 104 based on (i) transmitting areward query to the user profile service component 304 to determine thatthe content consuming user 102 has a valid reward enabling the metadataenabling the user access to the locked version of the selected mediacontent to be delivered; or (ii) transmitting a request to the rewardpoint accumulator 306 requesting the reward point balance associatedwith the media consumption account of the content consuming user 102,and determining that the reward point balance is at level enabling themetadata (enabling the user access to the locked version of the selectedmedia content) to be delivered.

In response to determining that metadata enabling the user access to thelocked version of the selected media content is to be delivered to themedia playback device 104, the media metadata server is configured todeliver the metadata enabling the user access to the locked version ofthe selected media content, over the network 106 to the media playbackdevice 104.

The received metadata is processed by the media playback device 104 inrendering, on the display 105 of the media playback device 104, aprogramme detail page thereby providing access to the locked content.The programme detail page may include for example a viewing area forviewing the desired media content, a selectable ‘play’ button to viewthe desired media content in the viewing area, and an additionalselectable ‘play’ button to view the locked content in the viewing area.

The programme detail page may include other information (extracted fromthe metadata) related to the desired media content. For example, contenttitle, series/episode information, content description, information onwhen the desired media content was first aired, the remaining time (e.g.in days) the desired media content will be available for viewing,content credits identifying contributors to the production of thecontent etc.

In addition to the components of the content delivery system 100described above with reference to FIGS. 3a and 3b , the content deliverysystem 100 may further comprise a content access control server(otherwise referred to herein as a content control module) that isconnected to the network 106 and is configured to handle provision ofaccess to content to user devices connected to the network 106 of thecontent delivery system 100.

The media playback device 104 is arranged to transmit a request forelectronic programming guide data to the content access control serverover the network 106 in response to the content consuming user 102accessing a content delivery service e.g. by launching a softwareapplication executed on the media playback device 104, or navigating toa webpage associated with the content delivery service, and in response,receive electronic programming guide data that is rendered on thedisplay 105 of the media playback device 104 in the form of a userinterface provided by the content delivery service thereby enabling thecontent consuming user 102 access to consume media content stored by theprimary content providing server 108.

The list of rewards (and the reward point value associated with eachreward in the list) may include the reward point value for a reward ofaccess to locked content via the user interface provided by contentdelivery service that would otherwise be unavailable for selection bythe content consuming user 102 by navigating through the user interfaceprovided by content delivery service.

In response to receiving a request for electronic programming guide datafrom the playout controller 204, the content access control server isconfigured to selectively deliver electronic programming guide data tothe media playback device 104 enabling the user access to consume lockedmedia content stored by the primary content providing server 108.

The content access control server may determine that electronicprogramming guide data enabling the user access to consume the lockedmedia content is to be delivered to the media playback device 104 basedon (i) transmitting a reward query to the user profile service component304 to determine that the content consuming user 102 has a valid rewardenabling the electronic programming guide data (enabling the user accessto consume the locked media content) to be delivered; or (ii)transmitting a request to the reward point accumulator 306 requestingthe reward point balance associated with the media consumption accountof the content consuming user 102, and determining that the reward pointbalance is at level enabling the electronic programming guide data(enabling the user access to consume the locked media content) to bedelivered.

In response to determining that electronic programming guide dataenabling the user access to consume the locked media content is to bedelivered to the media playback device 104, the content access controlserver is configured to deliver the electronic programming guide dataenabling the user access to consume the locked media content, over thenetwork 106 to the media playback device 104.

The received electronic programming guide data, when rendered in theform of the user interface provided by the content delivery service,provides access to the locked content.

For example, the redeemed reward may give access to at least oneadditional TV channel (e.g. in high definition) that the contentconsuming user 102 can access in the displayed user interface providedby content delivery service to stream live/linear content aired on theat least one additional TV channel.

In another example, the redeemed reward may give access to a library ofhigh definition on-demand content that the content consuming user 102can access in the displayed user interface provided by content deliveryservice.

In another example, the reward may give access to content with anextended playback availability window (e.g. a movie rental may onlynormally be available for 48 hrs, but a redeemed reward may extend thisto 72 hrs etc.).

In another example, the reward may give access to a back catalogue ofepisodes of a TV show. Thus if a user with access to a particular TVchannel watches an episode of the TV show (which is not the firstepisode) and they enjoyed the show, redemption of the reward enables towatch the earlier episodes of the TV show.

In another example, the reward may give access to media content that isavailable for download to a device associated with the content consuminguser 102 such that the media content can be consumed on the devicewithout requiring a connection to the network 106.

In the above described embodiments, access to enhanced content isprovided without requiring the additional complexity and technicalcomponents associated with a payment infrastructure that is typicallyused to control delivery of enhanced content to users of a contentdelivery system.

Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood andeffected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimedinvention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and theappended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not excludeother elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does notexclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil thefunctions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact thatcertain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims doesnot indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used toadvantage. A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitablemedium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state mediumsupplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also bedistributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired orwireless telecommunication systems. Any reference signs in the claimsshould not be construed as limiting the scope.

1. A content delivery system comprising: a communications network; amedia component connected to the communications network, the mediacomponent configured to deliver content for consumption at user devicesconnected to the communications network; an engagement monitoringcomponent configured to monitor user engagement with auxiliary contentplayed out at the user devices; a storage component which holdsengagement monitoring data in association with user identifiers of usersof the content delivery system; a content control module configured toreceive from a user device a request for content data, the contentcontrol module being operable to selectively deliver enhanced contentdata based on the engagement monitoring data held in association with auser identifier associated with a user of the user device; wherein thecontent data is metadata associated with a piece of media content storedby the media component, the metadata enabling the user access to consumethe piece of media content when processed by the user device, and theenhanced content data is metadata enabling the user access to consume anenhanced version of the piece of media content stored by the mediacomponent when processed by the user device.
 2. A content deliverysystem according to claim 1, wherein the content data is a list ofinteraction options for interacting with a piece of media contentreceived from the media component for play out on the user device, andthe enhanced content data is an enhanced list of interaction options forinteracting with said piece of media content.
 3. A content deliverysystem according to claim 2, wherein the enhanced list of interactionoptions comprises interaction options different to those provided in astandard list of interaction options that the content control module isotherwise configured to supply to said user device.
 4. (canceled)
 5. Acontent delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the enhancedversion of the piece of media content is one of: (i) an extended versionof the piece of media content; (ii) a director's cut version of thepiece of media content; (iii) a version comprising additional contentnot present in the piece of media content, and (iv) an interactiveversion of the piece of media content.
 6. A content delivery systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the content data is electronic programmingguide data, the electronic programming guide data enabling the useraccess to consume media content stored by the media component whenprocessed by the user device, and the enhanced content data iselectronic programming guide data enabling the user access to consumelocked media content stored by the media component when processed by theuser device that is otherwise inaccessible to the user.
 7. (canceled) 8.(canceled)
 9. A content delivery system according to claim 6, whereinthe locked media content is one of on-demand media content and contentaired on at least one television channel.
 10. A content delivery systemaccording to claim 9, wherein the locked media content is inhigh-definition.
 11. A content delivery system according to claim 6,wherein the locked media content is media content associated with anextended playback availability.
 12. A content delivery system accordingto claim 6, wherein the locked media content is media content that isavailable for download for consumption on a user device associated withthe user without requiring a connection to said communications network.13. A content delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the contentcontrol module is further configured to evaluate the engagementmonitoring data to determine, for each piece of auxiliary content playedout at the user device, if said user has engaged with at least one userengagement element that is associated with the auxiliary content anddisplayed on the user device, in accordance with an expected useractivity, and selectively deliver the enhanced content data based onsaid evaluation.
 14. A content delivery system according to claim 13,wherein the at least one user engagement element comprises a displayedquestion to which the user may respond and has an input for receiving aresponse, wherein the expected user activity comprises providing anappropriate response to the question.
 15. A content delivery systemaccording to claim 13, wherein the at least one user engagement elementcomprises a survey which includes at least one question with associatedexpected responses, wherein the questions and responses concern theauxiliary content.
 16. A content delivery system according to claim 13,wherein the at least one user engagement element comprises a userinterface component selectable by the user.
 17. A content deliverysystem according to claim 16, wherein the user interface component is adisplay region on a display of the user device, the display regioncomprising an auxiliary content item and being clickable by the user.18. A content delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the atleast one user engagement element displays multiple display regions,each displaying an image, wherein one of the images is linked to theplayed out auxiliary content, and the expected user activity is toselect that image.
 19. A content delivery system according to claim 18,wherein the image which is linked to the played out auxiliary content isan image which was viewed by the user when consuming the auxiliarycontent.
 20. A content delivery system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a store holding a set of permission vouchers for each of aplurality of users of the system, wherein the content control module isconfigured to determine if there is a permission voucher in the set forthe user of a type that grants permission to deliver the enhancedcontent data to the user device, and selectively deliver said enhancedcontent data based on this determination.
 21. A content delivery systemaccording to claim 17, further comprising a points accumulator componentconnected to the communication network which holds a user point balancein association with said user identifier, wherein issuance of saidpermission voucher to said store is based on redemption, by the user, ofpoints of a user point balance associated with the user identifier ofthe user, wherein the user point balance associated with the useridentifier of the user is based on engagement monitoring data held inassociation with the user identifier.
 22. (canceled)
 23. A method ofdelivering content comprising: receiving from a user device a requestfor content data; accessing engagement monitoring data held inassociation with a user identifier associated with a user of the userdevice stored at a storage component; and selectively deliveringenhanced content data based on the engagement monitoring data held inassociation with the user identifier associated with the user of theuser device, wherein the content data is metadata associated with apiece of media content, the metadata enabling the user access to consumethe piece of media content when processed by the user device, and theenhanced content data is metadata enabling the user access to consume anenhanced version of the piece of media content when processed by theuser device.
 24. A computer program product, the computer programproduct being embodied on a non-transient computer-readable medium andconfigured so as when executed on a processor to: receive from a userdevice a request for content data; access engagement monitoring dataheld in association with a user identifier associated with a user of theuser device stored at a storage component; and selectively deliverenhanced content data based on the engagement monitoring data held inassociation with the user identifier associated with the user of theuser device, wherein the content data is metadata associated with apiece of media content, the metadata enabling the user access to consumethe piece of media content when processed by the user device, and theenhanced content data is metadata enabling the user access to consume anenhanced version of the piece of media content when processed by theuser device.